DUBOIS – A DuBois couple accused of three burglaries at local gun stores as part of Operation Sportsmen’s Delight waived their rights to preliminary hearings Friday during Centralized Court before Magisterial District Judge Patrick Ford.
Brett A. Moore, 25, and Nicole E. Moore, 24, of DuBois have been charged with multiple counts of burglary; criminal trespass; theft by unlawful taking; receiving stolen property; criminal mischief; criminal conspiracy; possessing instruments of crime; and firearms not to be carried without a license.
These charges stem from alleged burglaries at L.B. Toney’s Alamo Gun Shop on Aug. 28, 2013 in DuBois and at Bob’s Army & Navy Store on Sept. 8, 2013 and Sept. 12, 2013 in Clearfield. The couple allegedly committed the burglary spree in order to sell the stolen firearms outside of Clearfield County for money and or drugs.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, on Aug. 28, 2013, the DuBois City police received a report about a burglary that had occurred sometime overnight at L.B. Toney’s Alamo Gun Shop in DuBois. Upon arrival to the scene, the gun shop’s owner advised police someone had smashed out the glass front door, as well as another interior door.
Surveillance video captured the suspect using a hammer to break into the gun shop; the suspect was wearing gloves and concealed his face with a hooded sweatshirt. The suspect also broke through the locked interior door and then the display case containing firearms.
The suspect removed nine firearms, placed them into a duffel bag and then fled the scene. During the burglary, the suspect caused more than $1,000 worth of damage to the gun shop, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
As a result of a joint investigation with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), law enforcement established Brett and Nicole Moore as the burglary suspects. During an interview with an ATF special agent, Nicole Moore admitted to driving her husband to and from the burglary.
Nicole Moore admitted to knowing it was her husband’s intent to illegally gain access to the gun shop to steal firearms. Nicole Moore also told the special agent that she assisted her husband with the disposal of the stolen firearms and drove him to Allentown to sell them for money and drugs.
During an interview, Brett Moore admitted to breaking into L.B. Toney’s Alamo Gun Shop and stealing firearms. He told the special agent that his wife not only drove him to commit the burglary, but also to Allentown to sell the firearms for money and drugs. Brett Moore admitted to receiving $1,000 in cash and eight grams of heroin for the firearms.
On Sept. 8, 2013, Clearfield Borough police received a report about a late night burglary that had occurred at the Bob’s Army & Navy Store in Clearfield. Police responded to the scene due to the activation of the store’s intrusion alarm and found forced entry had occurred through the glass front door.
The store owner identified seven missing firearms, which were presumed stolen during the “smash-and-grab” burglary. Each firearm was entered as stolen into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), and police notified the ATF, which initiated a federal investigation.
Upon reviewing surveillance video, police determined a vehicle stopped in front of the store. The suspect exited from the passenger’s side and smashed the glass front door to gain entry. Once inside the suspect smashed a display case containing various firearms; he removed seven firearms and fled the scene entering the same vehicle.
On Sept. 12, 2013, police received a report about a second late night burglary that had occurred at Bob’s Army & Navy. Clearfield Borough police, the Pennsylvania State Police and the ATF investigated the burglary. Based upon investigation and surveillance video, law enforcement determined the suspect forced entry through the front glass door and removed seven additional firearms.
Surveillance video showed a vehicle stopping and the suspect approaching the store. The suspect struck the door with an apparent hammer, damaging the glass in one of two entrances but didn’t break it. As a result, the suspect struck another glass door and gained entry to the store.
Once inside the suspect smashed a display case containing various firearms; he grabbed firearms from the display case and placed them in a dark-colored duffel bag. Afterward, he fled the scene toward the suspect vehicle parked in front of the store.
Based upon surveillance images, the suspect was wearing a mask over his face, a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, sneakers and gloves. Also, a Ford Ranger pick-up truck was identified as the likely getaway vehicle.
In addition to the stolen firearms, the store owner reported that 36 additional firearms were damaged when the display case was broken into. Further, based upon stolen and damaged property for both burglaries, the store owner reported a total cost/loss of approximately $19,875.
In December, law enforcement received information from Cooperating Witness 1. During the month of November, CW 1 had spoken to Nicole Moore on several occasions, and one time she confided about she and her husband committing the burglaries at the three local gun stores. Nicole Moore provided certain details, which hadn’t been released to the general public.
According to information from CW 1, Nicole Moore indicated that during the second burglary at Bob’s Army & Navy, Brett Moore was unable to smash the glass in the front door. When he struck the glass, she said it didn’t break; investigators, the affidavit stated, were aware that shatter-resistant glass replaced that in the broken door after the first burglary.
During the crime scene investigation after the second burglary, investigators noted the front door had been struck several times, which was evidenced by impact marks consistent with the shape of a hammer. The glass, however, was still intact.
CW 1 told law enforcement that Nicole Moore mentioned her husband knew he would have approximately one minute to get in and out of the store. This information was also confirmed by law enforcement when reviewing the surveillance footage from all three gun store burglaries.
Nicole Moore stated that the stolen firearms were sold outside of Clearfield County. Nicole Moore further stated that her husband was a heroin user and also responsible for getting her involved in drug use, including heroin, according to information from CW 1.
Upon completing a records check, law enforcement found that on Dec. 3, 2013, Nicole Moore was arrested for driving under the influence outside of Clearfield County. Brett Moore, who was also in the vehicle, was charged with possession of 15 bags of heroin. Both were released pending further court action.
In January, law enforcement developed a second source, CW 2, who provided specific information about Brett Moore’s involvement in both burglaries at Bob’s Army & Navy. CW 2 also told law enforcement that during the second burglary, Brett Moore indicated he was unable to smash the glass door, which was the point-of-entry during the first incident.
Law enforcement developed a third source in January. CW 3 provided information about the Bob’s Army & Navy burglaries. The information from CW 3 was also consistent with that provided by CW 2, as well as with facts of the case known to law enforcement.
In January, law enforcement interviewed both Nicole and Brett Moore about the three gun store burglaries. During the interviews, both admitted to committing the burglaries at L.B. Toney’s Alamo Gun Shop and Bob’s Army & Navy, so that they could sell the stolen firearms for cash and or drugs outside of Clearfield County.
More specifically, Nicole Moore admitted to conspiring with her husband to commit all three burglaries by driving the getaway vehicle. Nicole Moore told law enforcement that she agreed to drive her husband to commit the burglaries, because he didn’t possess a valid driver’s license.
